Review of underwater acoustic sources and evolution of environmental policy on marine artificial sounds

There are many kinds of noises in the ocean. Sound travelling in the ocean is a complicated phenomenon. Under certain conditions, low-frequency sounds may travel over a basin. Since intensifying and prevailing artificial marine noises may affect the marine environment, governmental agencies, researchers, and industry are trying to understand the effects of sounds. While many biological and acoustic questions are yet to be answered, environmental policy on artificial marine noises has been already under implication for assessments and protections. We surveyed papers related to protection implications and assessments of influence of artificial noises on the marine environment. Such experiments have been conducted by US navy, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and so on. Most of the papers we could collect are related to effects of Low Frequency Sonar (LFS). We also reviewed a comprehensive book, "Marine Mammals and Noise" edited by Richardson, W. J. et al, 1995 and sound sources for detection, acoustic measurement, and oceanic or seismic survey.